


Guided By The Soul

by clandestineLimelight



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M, Friendship, Gen, Lots of Creative Liberty Taken, M/M, Platonic Soulmates, Romantic Soulmates, Soulmate AU, Spirit Animals, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-04
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:47:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27878601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clandestineLimelight/pseuds/clandestineLimelight
Summary: In a world filled with magic and wonder, soulmates are possible but not common...Though as war rages closer, who has time to worry about Soulmates?
Relationships: Bellatrix Black Lestrange/Peter Pettigrew, James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Lily Evans Potter/Severus Snape, Lucius Malfoy/Narcissa Black Malfoy, Remus Lupin/Severus Snape, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Comments: 4
Kudos: 24





	1. Hope

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, I'm Lime, and this is my first Harry Potter fic. Let me know what you think. 
> 
> Also the whole fic is beta’d by CrazyButGood and Britpick’d by Yashu. Thank them for me. <3

There was a very specific birthmark on Severus's left forearm. Eight symbols connected by a soft pale gold line that traveled from his wrist to the crook of his elbow. The first sat below the swell of his palm, just barely low enough to be covered by a sleeve cuff, slightly smaller than a knut. A nine pointed star twinkled sharp and dark against his pale skin. An inverted night sky. A black North star.

The second image was slightly above it and angled to the side. A generic footprint. Small round toes above an elongated pad of a left foot.

Next was a leaf. Long, tapered, and elegant, a willow's maybe? It sat along the veins of his wrist and fluttered on his pulse like a gentle breeze.

Fourth was a feather. Wispy and delicate, all black and curved slightly.

He was less sure of what exactly the next image was. It appeared as a basic circle, but incomplete. It's bottom side crumpled out as if someone had taken a hammer to it. Severus often stared at it intensely, trying to think of anything and everything that had this design. Always coming up blank.

The sixth image was an eye. Simplistic, but it kind of reminded Severus of the Illuminati eye. An oval shape with pointed sides, a circle within it, and another circle within that. It stared up at Severus knowingly.

Second to last was a droplet of water. Cool and soothing.

Finally, sitting in the crook of his elbow, was a tiny snake. It's mouth open to fangs and its body coiled defensively.

Honestly, it was a very intricate birthmark, more of a tattoo, but he had never sat under a needle and this group of pictures have been with him since birth.

He's asked his mother about it before, but his questions just make her cry and he gets no answers. So instead he asks Prince.

Prince was another one of those things that have been with him since birth, another thing that took him a very long time to understand, but Prince always explains things when he can.

“They're Soulmarks.” Prince explains now. “Magical symbols that Fate and Destiny have decided to bless you with.”

“Soulmarks?” Severus repeats, fingers impulsively tracing the marks. 

“Like me, it has to do with the inherent magic in your soul,” Prince goes on. “Each one of those symbols represents someone who will become very important to you. A soulmate.”

Severus is quiet for a long moment, thinking about Prince's words. “Important to me? How?” He finally asks, words slow to leave his mouth.

“Well, they could be friends, or lovers, or, in some cases, family members, but either way, they will be the most important people in your life. They will stick by your side and always be next to you, because you will be as important to them as they are to you.”

“Oh.” Another pause. “That sounds... nice...” The words are still slow, as if Severus is scared to believe them.

Prince just purred and Severus immediately buried his face into the panther's fur, feeling the vibrations.

“You will definitely have your fair share of troubles, but these people will be there for you. Always and forever.”

This sounds too good to be true.

“How will I know? Will they have the same mark?”

“Yes, they will,” Prince reassures him. “But I, as your Spirit Guide, will be able to tell them out as well.”

“You will?”

“Aye, Spirit Guide magic and Soulmate magic are deeply intertwined. As you know, all witches and wizards have a Soul Guide. A representation of their magic in an animal's form. The main job of one is to help keep their Patron safe and sound, but there are many other things that they can serve their Patron with. Finding soulmates is one of them.”

“So everyone has soulmates? Like everyone has a Guide?”

“Ah, no. They don't.” Prince shifts and Severus lifts his head, allowing the kitten to roll partially onto his back to make eye contact. Severus absently strokes the soft fuzz on Prince's belly. “Soulmates are very rare and very important. Most people don't have any at all, and the people that do have them usually have no more than four. To have seven is fairly unheard of.”

“Seven? But there are eight marks?”

Prince nods. “One of them is yours.”

Eyes immediately drawn to his arm, Severus scrutinizes the markings, taking each one in careful detail. “Which one is mine?”

“The feather.”

Severus makes a face, unsure if he liked that. Feathers were gentle and soft and hopeful, none of the things he was. They were also weak and easy to snap between your fingers, which Severus felt might be a more appropriate description.

The idea of soulmates, of someone that will protect him, accept him, love him, was so sweet that Severus was wary of it. Was such a thing even possible? Prince has never lied to him before, but the thought was just so outlandish. Prince has been the only one that has always been by his side and that was because he was magically bound to Severus.

Of course Severus would never pale Prince's bond to him, but the idea of a friend... A true friend... It was something that Severus didn't want to admit that he desperately wanted. 

“When will I meet them?” he finally asked.

“All at different times I suppose. It's a pretty inexact science.”

That wasn't what Severus wanted to hear, but he didn't complain. Just pressed his lips together to quell his disappointment.

Prince cocked his head, his dark eyes shining brightly in the low light of their bedroom. “I got a feeling though,” he says, pausing to gather up Severus's undivided attention. When Prince got a feeling it was always worth listening to. “That you'll meet one of your soulmates very soon.”

“How soon?” Severus finds himself asking, his fingers curling tighter into Prince's fur.

“Very soon,” Prince whispers into the silence between them. “I promise, it'll be soon. You won't be alone much longer.”

The air felt heavy and Severus turned his head away, trying to put a stopper on the hope bubbling away inside him. Severus gathered up Prince in his arms and held him tight to his chest. The panther kitten began to purr and Severus just closed his eyes, laying back on his tattered duvet with Prince's secure weight over him, feeling the vibrations rock through every bone and nerve in his body.

Several more moments of quiet echoed around them, only broken by Prince's rough purr. When Severus finally broke it, his voice was sleep-roughed and half-formed. “You promise?”

“I promise.”

A sharp thud of an object against the wall followed by a bellowing voice woke Severus up the next morning. It was not the best way to wake, going from full sleep to full alert in a matter of milliseconds. Sitting up fully awake, one hand clenched in the ratty sheets, the other hovering unsure about his head, half expecting to block a blow. 

Slowly awareness crept in and his heartbeat slowed, drawing instinctive terror to a thrumming weariness. No one was in the room but him and Prince. The cat's fur was on end, back arched, and overlong claws sunk into the blanket, his big, dark eyes roving the room for movement. Severus worked his tense fingers free from the duvet and brushed them carefully against Prince's soft fur.

“No one is here,” he whispered to Prince. “He's probably throwing things in the living room.” Which also wasn't a very good sign, but it was better than Father kicking down his bedroom door to scream at him. “L- let's just stay here.” Prince nodded his agreement, crawling into Severus's lap so the boy could compulsively pet him. “He should be leaving for work here soon.”

Tobias Snape worked at the local factory down the road. It employed almost everyone from Spinner's End. The factory itself stunk to high heaven, tainting the entirety of Spinner's End with the awful rotten smell of processed junk. Oftentimes the smell even lingered on Severus clothing, marking him as one of the factory families, but it was still the best place to pull a secure paycheck in the area.

If memory served, Father was on days for the next two weeks, so he definitely should be gone by seven-thirty. Severus shot a quick glance towards the cracked clock on the bedroom wall, seven-fifteen. Any minute now.

More muffled shouts, some stomping around, then a shuddering bang that rattled the very planes of the house. Severus felt his breath release slowly in the following silence of the recognizable sound of the door slamming shut.

As soon as his death grip on Prince relaxed, the panther kitten was squirming out of his hold. “Come on Severus! Get dressed! It's a special day today!” The kitten's attitude was stark in contrast to Severus's, who was still recovering from his rude awakening. Severus frowned at him.

“What's so special about it?” Severus grumbled, but obeyed Prince nonetheless, getting to his feet and padding around to his chest. It was a dastardly old piece of shit with missing knobs and broken hinges, stupidly small and only half full. Severus pulled out a too big shirt, nearly washed to rags and too faded to make out any type of design other than the color gray. He dragged it over his head and it hung off his malnourished frame. 

Next came some trousers off the floor, from yesterday. He had one foot in the pant leg when Prince came bounding over. “No, no, no,” he headbutted Severus, making the boy lose his balance with a squawk, fall onto his bum, limbs akimbo.

“Prince!” Severus scolded, glaring at the uncaring kitten. “What was that for?”

“Wear your dark trousers. I told you today is going to be special,” Prince tells him, the cub unimpressed with Severus's glare. 

Severus's eyes flick down to the tan trousers tangled around his legs, then to the chest, before just dropping his gaze down. “Bu- but my dark trousers are my last clean pair. Besides, I've only worn these tan ones a couple of times. They should still be fine?” The sentence curved at the end, making it into a hesitant question, even as Severus tried to inject surety into it.

But Prince was shaking his head. “Trust me!” He was bouncing up and down on his front paws, tail thrashing.

Laundry Day wasn't until Saturday, when Severus and Mother would hunt around the house for spare quarters, digging between the couch cushions and scouring under the stairs and empty piggy banks. They usually didn't find much, but it was a fun little game they always played before hauling everything down seven blocks to the rinky dink laundromat on the end of Curtis Street. They'd spend all afternoon there. It was kind of boring, but if Mother was in a good enough mood she sometimes read to him. If he was good, and more than a little lucky, Mother might read him another story out of Arabian Nights this weekend.

Today was only Thursday though, and he should really save his clean trousers for Friday night's dinner. His grandparents always harped on him when he didn't dress up for their monthly family dinners. 

“Trust me Severus!” Prince yowled again. “Trust me!”

Severus licked his lips and swallowed his nerves, but ended up nodding all the same. He went and put on his dark trousers. They were deep dark gray, and a little too small, highwatering his ankles and constricting his waist. Despite his wafer thin frame, Severus struggled with the buttons. He was able to get the zip and two buttons, but try as he might he couldn't get the other two buttons. With a huff, he gave up. At least the baggy shirt hid his crotch from public eye. 

“You ready yet?” Prince jumped up onto the bed for better leverage to glare impatiently at Severus. 

“What's your problem?” Severus hissed at the panther kitten. Prince just rolled his eyes and lifted his head regally. Not dignifying his Patron with an answer. They glare each other down for a sharp minute, before Severus lowers his eyes and sighs. He sits, putting on a mismatched pair of socks. “You sure are acting funny today.”

“Well fine.” Prince tosses his head. “Guess I'll go without you.” With a graceful leap, Prince sailed off the bed and landed lightly on the thin carpet, bounding towards the bedroom door. With a twist of magic, the door opened, and Prince bolted through.

“Prince!” Severus yelped, scrambling to his feet and racing after the kitten. He hated being separated from his Guide. It gave him the worst anxiety.

The two sprint down the stairs, almost taking out Amanda, who was coming out of the kitchen just as the boys were hitting the last step. The small terrier dog squeaked in surprise, jumping back behind Mother's legs, who was a few steps behind her Guide.

“Sorry, Amanda!” Severus called, quickly shoving on his shoes as Prince paced and growled impatiently at the door. 

“Severus?” Mother poked her head around the corner that led to the kitchen. She looked as tired as always, and her black eye just made her bags look worse, but her face softened at seeing him.

“Yes ma?” Severus paused with his jacket half on, hand on the door handle.

“Where are you off too so early?” Mother asks. Amanda sits on her slippers and grumbles.

“The sun's hardly up yet,” Amanda adds unhelpfully. 

“Just to play,” Severus says. “Prince says today is 'special'.” Prince nods in agreement, throwing a dirty look at Severus for his incredulous tone.

“Special? How so?” Mother looked from Prince to Severus and back. Prince only huffed at her, still impatient.

“I'm not sure,” Severus shrugged, “but I promise I'll be back in time to get my chores done.”

Slowly, Mother nods. “Alright, make sure you do.” Severus nodded and pulled open the door, knowing a dismissal when he heard one. Prince darts out between his feet.

“Have fun!” Amanda lazily calls to his back as he leaves the house, closing the door behind them.

“Okay, Prince, where are we off to now?” Severus asks, but there is no bundle of black fur anywhere near him. “Prince?” Severus frantically looks around, up and down the street and around the yard. “Prince?” Finally his eyes light on the black cat, already waiting for him by the street corner. “Prince!” 

“Come on!” is all the Guide says before running off down the sidewalk. Once again, Severus chases after him.

“Prince! Wait up!”

“Nu-uh! Catch up slowpoke!”

“Prince!” 

The cat doesn't slow down, so Severus ends up chasing him for several blocks. Crossing intersections with abandon, running down the street like a madman, just barely keeping Prince in sight. Prince veers into a large park and soon wet gravel is underfoot as they race next to a small irrigation ditch dressed up as a creek, jumping over bushes and dodging low hanging branches.

“Prince, I'm serious! I-”

Suddenly the ground disappeared from under his feet and he went down head over heels like a bag of rocks. It was a hard tumble, down a small embankment, into a shallow puddle of the ditch.

Severus took a moment to just breath, to get his bearings, before trying to stand. It wasn't so easy, though. The ground underfoot was wet and muddy, squishing warm mud between his fingers as he tried to push himself up. A sharp movement of his body was all it took to send him back down in the mud.

“Prince,” he growled vehemently, glaring at the cat sitting smugly at the top of the ravine from where he had fallen, “I'll kill you, you fuckin-”

“Oh my god, are you okay?” 

Eyes snapping up, Severus was met with the sight of a girl roughly his age, standing up on the ravine a few paces to the left of Prince. She was shorter, petite and freckled, with flame colored hair. 

Severus just stared, embarrassment heating up his face. Maybe if he didn't answer she'll leave?

But no, the redhead was already grabbing a low hanging branch and using it to steady herself as she took a few steps down the embankment.

“Don't worry! I'll come get you!” The girl called out, taking another step, but the mud sucked at her shoes and the branch groaned under her weight. “Almo-” 

_Snap!_

The branch gives in her hands and she tumbles off the ravine with a sharp gasp, sliding down the embankment.

With a yelp, Severus struggles to get to his feet, trying to move out of the way, but only succeeds in flailing in the shallow water. The girl plows right into him, knocking them both flat back into the mud.

The girl twists in the mud, trying, as Severus had done before, to get her legs under her, but she has just as much luck as he did and ends up tying them into an even more intricate knot. Severus's breath leaves him in a whoosh as she knees him into the stomach.

“Sorry! Sorry! Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!” The girl squeaks out.

The two squirm a little more before the giggling starts. At first it's just the girl, little laughs escaping between her 'sorry's, but it soon grew and Severus felt the tickle of it, the audacity of the whole crazy situation, and soon he's giggling too. They finally just stop and sit in the mud, laughing at each other and themselves. 

“I think we're stuck.” The girl smiles brightly up at him. She's missing a few of her teeth, but Severus thinks this must be what angels look like.

“Y- yeah.” So articulate. Severus feels himself blush, looking down.

“I'm Lily,” she proclaims proudly, wiping her face with dirt stained fingers, leaving streaks.

“I'm Severus,” he mumbles softly.

“Nice to meet you, Severus!” She smiles her heaven gifted smile again. Severus tries to smile back, but he thinks it probably came out wrong. “What are you doing down here in the mud anyway?” There was no judgment, only honest curiosity. Her happiness was contagious.

“I tripped.”

“You tripped?” She blinked up at him, obviously looking for more answers then those two words were giving her.

“Y- yeah. I was chasing P- Prince and he tricked me into falling.” Severus instinctively looked towards Prince, his dark frame nothing but a shadow as he hid among the bushes. 

Lily followed his gaze, but obviously didn't see Prince. Even if he wasn't hiding, muggles can't see Guides. “Who's Prince?”

“My imaginary friend.” He answers on instinct. It is what he usually tells muggles when they question him about Prince.

“Oh!” She says, as if imaginary friends were the key to all of this and they weren't still half tangled up in a pile of mud. “I have an imaginary friend too! Her name is Missy.”

“That's nice,” Severus says politely, kind of at a loss. 

“Yep!” Lily grins once more, before turning to look at a nearby tree with scrutiny. “Think I can reach that if you give me a push?”

“Maybe, yeah.” The branch looked close enough. 

“Worth a shot.” Lily shrugged, then started to reach, stretching out toward the tree branch. Severus hesitated momentarily before placing his hands on her sides to steady her. She was covered in dirty water and mud, but so very warm.

Somehow, this actually worked. “Got it!” Lily cried as her fingers closed around the branch. She wasted no time hauling herself up away from the water. Once she was a few feet up the embankment, she turned, one hand securely gripping the branch, she reached out toward Severus. “Okay, give me your hand.”

There was only a moment of hesitation, then Severus reached back towards her. Her grip was warm and secure, despite the small amount of slickness leftover from the mud. With a grunt, a pull, and minimal flailing, Lily hauled Severus out of the creek. After that the mud wasn't as thick, so the going got easier. Bit by bit they picked their way up the embankment. 

Once at the top, Lily flopped down onto the grass, panting. Severus dropped to his hands and knees beside her. A soft laugh left Severus's mouth, surprising both of them. Lily giggled, her smile bright.

Now that they were out of the ditch, under the rays of the still rising sun, Severus got a good look at this fiery girl that came and saved him. She was small and pale and covered in freckles, her pretty yellow dress soaked and mud-splattered, and her pale face held bright green eyes and a tooth-gapped smile, but she still looked so perfect it scared him.

“You guys okay?” A high pitched voice came from Severus's right. Turning, his eyes lighted on a cat. Not a house cat. It was bulky and big, but still obviously young, golden furred with round ears and big yellow eyes. It looked a lot like Prince honestly, just different colored. 

Had the cat just spoken? And what was a big cat – Severus was thinking lion because it lacked spots or stripes – doing in the middle of Britain? 

“Everything's fine,” Lily says to the cat as she sits up. Pursing her lips, she flicked a leaf off the hem of her sunshine yellow dress. “Think this will wash out?”

Severus is still staring at the lion kitten. Is she...?

The kitten looked at him and he gasped as it all clicked together.

“You're a Guide!” Severus sat back on his hunches and pointed an accusing finger towards the lion. 

“Huh?” Lily gave him a confused look. “What are you–?” Her words cut off into a sharp gasp as Prince bounced out of the bushes, cackling. Lily's eyes were wide, her mouth slightly parted as she stared at the laughing panther.

“It's about time you two met!” Prince laughs. “I've been waiting forever!”

“You spoke.” Lily's voice was full of wonder. “Just like Missy.” Her head suddenly snapped to Severus. “You see them too right?” She wasn't asking though, fierce determination simmered in though green eyes. Severus recoiled slightly at the intensity of them.

“Y- Yes,” he forced out. “I do.”

“Ha! I knew it!” The words exploded from Lily. She practically screamed them as she threw her hands up in the air. “I knew you weren't imaginary!” She beams at the lion kitten. “I knew it!”

Imaginary? Wasn't she Lily's Guide? Why would she be imaginary?

“How can you see her though?” It took a few moments for Severus to realize that Lily was speaking to him – her entire focus directly onto him – and when it did he immediately ducked his head and colored.

“Um. She's your Guide right? I- I can see her because I'm a wizard.” 

“A wizard?”

“Mhmm,” Severus hums his assertion. 

“Like magic tricks at parties?” Lily's eyes squinted in suspicion.

“No, n- not quite.” 

“How do you mean then?”

“Well...” How does one explain to a witch that they are a witch? It's just something that is known deep down in the bones. “Haven't you ever done something you can't explain before? Things just happen around you?” Severus stares imploringly into Lily's green eyes. She nods slowly, her suspicion melting into apprehension. “That's magic. You're a witch.”

“Me? I'm a witch?” Surprise colored Lily's face, quickly followed by hesitant glee. “Really?”

Severus nods. 

Lily's face screws up as she thinks, before it smooths out into a determined smile. “Do you want to come back to my place? I'm sure mama will help us wash our clothes.”

Her expression was so open and genuine, Severus wasn't really sure what to do with it. He stood there speechlessly like an idiot for several seconds, before Prince took pity on him.

“Sure thing, Lily!” Prince accepted the invitation for the both of them. “And we'll explain more about what being a witch means too.” He threw a look to Severus that was half exasperation and half fondness. Severus's cheeks burned in embarrassment.

“You better!” Lily playfully threatens. 

“We have so many questions,” the little lion, Missy, speaks up from her place at Lily's side.

“Can't promise we have all the answers,” Prince says with a swaying suaveness to his voice, “but we'll try.”

And just like that Severus felt himself being swept up in the tornado that is Lily, and directed towards one of the nearby houses that bordered the park.


	2. Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And our story continues. <3

Severus was very... well, _interesting_ for sure. Unique, and kind of silly and shy, but Lily hated it when other kids called him weird, or said anything mean about him in general. It had started more than one severe fight between her and her sister, Petunia, over the years. Actually, it had started some pretty severe fights with other children too.

Severus was hers to protect. He was her soulmate.

Gosh, wasn't that something? A _soulmate_. So many of her questions had been answered the day she had met Severus. He had assured her that Missy wasn't just a figment of her imagination. That she was actually a Soul Guide! That all witches and wizards have them. That she was a witch! It was so crazy that she almost didn't believe him, but she couldn't do that because there was so much evidence. Like Missy, or Prince for that matter. How do you explain talking animals? Or the fact that the elaborate multi-symbol 'birthmark' on the back of her leg exactly matched to the soulmark on Sev's arm! 

They were soulmates! Which were actually a bit different than what she'd originally thought. Apparently 'muggle' books do soulmates different than wizarding faerytales. It wasn't a destined love. Her and Sev's mark didn't mean they would grow up and fall in love and marry each other. They _could_ , but it wasn't set in the stars to be lovers. What was set in the stars was for them to always be important to each other. 

Prince had called it a 'Soul Family'. They were destined to be important to each other for all their lives. Along with the others that were on her soulmark.

That's right! She had seven soulmates! Every one of those symbols on her arm was a soul attached to hers. Sev was the feather and she was the star. She often wonders about the other six. Who are they and when will she meet them?

But soulmates aside, the wizarding world was so very cool! They did things so backwards and different and it was great. Their photographs moved, they sent mail by owls, and _dragons existed_. Apparently there was even a magical school for young witches and wizards to study witchcraft at; Hogwarts!

Sev had wrung his hands together as he talked about it, and explained that he wasn't sure if he'd ever get in to the school. Lily didn't quite understand why he thought this, something about his good-for-nothing father being a muggle and his mother once being a high society witch, but she hugged him anyway and promised to sneak him in along with her luggage when she got her Hogwarts Letter.

The sharp, piercing sound of a bell broke her out of her thoughts. She looked up from the nonsense she had been doodling all over the back of her score sheet and grinned. Finally! Whoever preludes summer break with a test is just cruel, but unfortunately, Mrs. Eisenhower was known for being particularly heartless to her seventh years. 

At least it was all over now! She could look forward to a whole summer of hanging out with Sev and Prince and Missy as they impatiently waited for their Hogwarts letters. 

Nothing sounded more fun.

Scooting out of her seat, Lily stood along with the rest of her class, her eyes immediately going to the seat two rows behind her where Sev was neatly putting away his pencils. As if he could sense her, he looked up and they locked eyes. Her grin blazes and he returns it with a small, sweet smile of his own.

“Alright students,” Mrs. Eisenhower – that shriveled up, old turkey – called the room to attention. “Turn in your test and you are free to leave.”

The kids all rushed the desk, elbowing each other to get their papers turned in so they can leave, talking a mile a minute about summer plans. Mrs. Eisenhower glared at them muttering something about this generation’s behavior and animals. 

Lily hung back, waiting until Sev finished methodically packing his things. She grabbed her own backpack – all but empty except for some crumpled papers, it was the last day of school after all – and knelt down as if she were going to tie her shoelaces. Missy, who had been napping under her desk the whole day, got to her paws with a stretch before clambering into the bookbag. Lily zipped the bag partially closed, leaving just enough room near the top for Missy to pop her head out, and hauled it up onto her shoulders. 

Missy was starting to get heavy, but she was still enough of a kitten to get backpack rides. Unlike Prince, who always whined that Sev didn't carry him around enough. With as much of a twig as Sev is though, Lily didn't blame him for not wanting to tote Prince's heavy butt around.

Once Missy was situated, a solid weight on her back, Lily turned back to Sev, who was finally packed and ready to go. “Come on slowpoke,” she teased playfully. “Let's get back to my house. I got some left over Honeywell's Candies for our celebration snack.”

“Okay.” Sev nodded, sounding relaxed, maybe even happy. It was no secret that, while he excelled greatly in school, Sev hated going to Fennel Middle. Seedlyn Primary had been a lot better since Lily kept most of the bullies at bay, but here at Fennel Middle, lots of the bigger kids weren't scared of Lily. At least they won't need to worry about that many more. They'll be going to Hogwarts after all, and Lily is sure that wizarding kids are nicer than muggle kids.

Lily skipped to the front desk and placed her test on top of the haphazard pile of papers sitting on the desk. “Have a good summer, Mrs. Eisenhower,” Lily said with a false smile. She's put up with the old hag with her best politeness for a whole year. Lily was just itching to make faces and blow a raspberry. Heaven knows that she constantly moans and groans to Sev about how Eisenhower hated her over all the other students. Lily was what her aunt called a 'spirited child' and that didn't mix well with several teachers and authority figures in her lifetime. Especially old, burnt-out harpies like Mrs. Eisenhower.

Mrs. Eisenhower gave Lily a sharp nod. “Stay out of trouble Miss Evans,” she crows in a voice older than a dinosaur skeleton.

“Of course,” Lily said, but her smile turned more strained and pouty. 

Severus took this time to lay his test on top of the stack and straighten them all up into a neat, little pile. “ 'Bye,” he muttered to her, and Lily had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. It almost wasn't fair, how Eisenhower hated everyone _except_ Severus. 

“Have a good summer, Mr. Snape. Keep your head up,” Mrs. Eisenhower croaked, her rusted nails voice a bit softer as she addressed Sev. Ugh, the level of 'Teacher's Pet'-ness going on here was just gross.

“Thank you.” Sev nodded and finally they were free to leave. 

As soon as the door to Mrs. Eisenhower's Seventh Year room closed for good at their backs, Lily cuffed Sev in the upper arm lightly not wanting to startle him too badly. He still yelped and rubbed his arm with a glare. “Lily!”

“You're such a teacher's pet!” she laughed, the sound carefree and bright. 

“Am not!” he argued. “I just don't cause trouble, unlike _some_ kids around here!”

Lily gives a very unladylike snort. “Please. I'm just adding in some fun!” She starts a brisk pace down the hall. Prince immediately bolts after her, leaving Severus scrambling to follow. “Besides,” she calls over her shoulder, “being on Eyesore Eisenhower's good side will get you no further in life.”

Sev shook his head and broke into a jog to catch up. “Well it did me good for nine months,” he snarked. “Much better than you after all! I thought for sure we would have to just throw a pillow in the detention room and move your disgruntled ass in there, twenty-four seven.”

“Blaugh! Hush, you!” Lily threw back at him. “I'm a perfect little lady!”

They both paused, Sev looking at Lily with incredulity, before they both broke out into laughter. 

“Lily Evans,” Sev tells her in between soft giggles. “You have never been, nor will you ever be a 'perfect little lady'!” She rolls her eyes and blows that raspberry at him that she's been wanting to.

As Sev pushes the heavy metal door open, the spring sunshine spills onto her face and makes her red hair shine. Lily sprung down the four steps to the tarmac and turned left to follow the path that runs along the edge of the track and field area to the Northwestern most point of the campus. From there they could slip into the bordering neighborhood and walk the five blocks to Lily's house. 

The school was bustling with students rushing around and parents driving in to pick kids up. A gang of older boys had started a game with a basketball and no hoop and the air was alive with the chattering of noisy children. Lily led Severus away from all that and onto the path that led towards the back of the school. It's Northwestern edge sloped steeply up into a hill before leveling out into the old neighborhood. The din got mellower the farther they traveled from the front of the school. They continued to chat about summer plans and how to make this the best summer yet.

“Why am I walking?” Prince interrupts them to complain. The sunlight is warming his fur and making it possible to see his natural spotting pattern through the heavy black fur. “Don't you love me Severus? Yet here I am, walking while Missy gets a piggyback ride.”

“Your feet work just fine,” Severus tells him with a huff. “And you're too heavy to carry.”

“Yeah!” Missy pipes up, teasing. “Only Princesses get carried! Boys have to stay on the ground.” The little lion laughed. 

“That's not fair!” Prince pouts.

“Life's not fair,” Sev points out evenly. Prince warbles his discontent.

They crest the little hill to a flat dirt parking lot that only got used by maintenance trucks. The back entrance to the neighborhood was within sight, but before they could enter the safety of the trees and houses, a shout drew them up short.

Lily turned around towards the sound, feeling Sev tense up beside her. Tyler McCarthy was making his way up the hill, a haughty smile on his tan face. “Hey Evans.” He said as he came to a stop in front of them.

Lily narrowed her eyes at him. “Hello,” she said warily. McCarthy was in year ten and much bigger then either her or Sev. He was also a renowned athlete in school sports, popular, and a grade A jerk most of the time.

“What do you want, McCarthy?” Severus hissed defensively. McCarthy wasn't one of Severus's usual bullies, but he did hang around in that crowd. 

“Jeez, prickly as ever, aren't you Snape?” McCarthy snorted. “I just wanted to ask Evans a question real quick.”

A small part of Lily was flattered that this older boy wanted to talk to her, but most of her was just cautious and peeved that McCarthy was being rude to her best friend. 

“What question?” Lily asked cautiously, cutting off Sev before he could drag this into a name calling fight.

“Meredith Lloyd is throwing a party tonight and I thought that you might wanna come,” McCarthy says with a shrug, his demeanor nonchalant except for a hint of a smug smile. 

Lily gasps in surprise and excitement. She never gets invited to parties, they were usually only for the older kids and Lily wasn't exactly popular – she was too honest and unwilling to play stupid girly mind games for their shallow, little, shriveled up hearts – so she was very surprised by this offer. 

And Lloyd? Meredith Lloyd was graduating this year, she was easily six years older than Lily and was known for throwing parties in Sugar Hills at her parents mansion-like house. Apparently wild things happen there and these parties were always the talk of the school. Even a lowly seventh year like Lily hears talk about them. Though she had never heard of any other seventh years getting invited before, expect maybe Penelope Lloyd's posse – Meredith's younger sister was a real piece of work.

Penelope Lloyd, Stacy Lochner, and Hannah Oldfield were colossal bitches and Lily fought with them constantly. She even punched Lochner in the face last month, which hurt her hand and got her detention, but felt mighty good all the same. 

And now, she was being recognized by an older boy to go to one of Meredith Lloyd's parties!

“Really? Me?” She asked, a part of her still hesitant to believe this.

“Sure, why not, you're cool,” McCarthy says and winks.

Lily felt her cheeks redden, much to her chagrin. “Thanks, I guess.” She grumbles. Throwing a glance to her right, she gave Sev a look, trying to see what he thought of this.

He didn't look happy. His mouth tight, and hands methodically clenching and unclenching, and his head down and eyes dark. Lily knew he was uncomfortable with McCarthy in general and probably didn't want to go to any party at all. 

Thinning her mouth in though, she finally made up her mind. “What's the address of the party and when does it start?”

“Lily!” Severus gasped. “You can't seriously be thinking about going!” 

“Sev.” Lily shot him a private look, one of those looks that help the other read minds. The kind of looks you get good at sending and deciphering after being friends for years. Her look said 'trust me', so he did and reluctantly closed his mouth.

“Where and when?” McCarthy repeats her question with an arrogant little laugh and a sharp smile. Lily huffs a little, feeling made fun of a little, but she pressed on.

“If you will,” Lily tries to be polite, but she crosses her arms defensively.

“Sure. Nine-thirty at 435 Farr Run Street up in Sugar Hills side of town. Can't miss it, it's right off by the river.” McCarthy shrugs his backpack higher up onto his shoulder. “Be there, little Evans, if anyone deserves a toast, it's the survivors of that bitch Eisenhower's class.”

Lily couldn't help but agree. “Me and Sev will be there!” She states, even as Severus grumbles behind her in objection. 

McCarthy's eyes traveled to Severus and looked him up and down, before turning away unimpressed. “Him? You're bringing _that_ as your plus one?”

Immediately, Lily was on the defensive. “That a problem?” She scrunched her nose and gave the kid a hot glare.

“Naw, why not.” McCarthy rolled his eyes. “Do whatever you like. I honestly couldn't give less of a shit.” With that, he turned on his heel with a wave. “See ya there, little Evans,” he called before trotting off. 

“Lily!” Sev hissed as soon as McCarthy was out of earshot. “Please don't tell me you believe this nonsense! It's obviously a trick.”

“You don't think the older kids just like my spunkiness?” Lily shot back, only half-teasing. She did actually want to go. This was her only shot to do something 'normal' and have fun doing it.

Normal. Ugh. Usually just thinking the word brings a groan to her lips. Petunia was always going on about normal this and normal that. It was honestly super annoying and Lily had vowed from a young age to always be abnormal. When her mother started to go on about feminine expectations and refusing to let her wear anything but skirts and dresses, well, it only straightened Lily's resolve to be anything but normal.

_This_ , though, was the backside of normal. Something she could do and say she's done as a requirement of growing up, while still rebelling. All kids attended parties in their lives right? It was a right of passage.

“Lily...” Severus groaned, because he knew that look on her face, that determined expression. There was no way she was going to change her mind. Sev knew this, but Lily knew he'd put up a fight anyway.

“Think about it,” she cut him off and started to walk down the sidewalk again. “Just think about it, really!” Sev followed her with a sigh. “We go to Hogwarts next fall, this could be our last chance to do something with our peers of the muggle world! Lot of gutless pigeons they are, but it still might be fun! An experience to have. Maybe Hogwarts doesn't have parties? Who knows, but we're going.”

“No. Actually, _we're_ not going, because _I'm_ not going.” Severus stuck his big nose in the air like a priss. “And you shouldn't either. Besides those stupid movies that your sister watches, do you have any idea what you're getting into? These parties are pretty intense. You could get hurt, Lily. Besides, they never invite seventh years to these things. We're too young.”

“I'm not too young!” Lily huffed quickly. “And he said that he was inviting everyone from Mrs. Eisenhower's class. So other kids our age oughtta be there.”

“No he didn't say that.” Severus shook his head under Lily's glare, not meeting her eye but not backing down either. “He didn't want me there, remember?”

“Yeah, but that's because you're Eisenhower's pet. She liked you.”

“That's not the point!” he exclaimed with a frustrated whine as Lily recrossed her arms stubbornly. “Don't you think this whole thing is a little fishy? That it might be a trick?”

“Maybe...” she'll give him that, it was out of character for McCarthy to invite them, “but that just gives us better reason to go.”

Severus raised a brow in a perfect arc of scrutiny like only he can. “How do you figure that?” 

“We need to prove them wrong!” Lily smiled as Severus groaned. “You need to prove to those bullies and little bitches that we can take care of ourselves!”

“Oh yeah! Party time!” Prince giggled, racing figure-eights around Sev's feet and causing him to stumble.

“Knock that off,” Sev hissed as he tripped over Prince and nearly fell flat on his face. “Prince! Stop! None of us should be going to that party!”

A small tap of a paw on her shoulder moved her attention to Missy, who she couldn't see at this angle, but could easily hear her whispering into her ear. “You sure about this?” Missy sounded uncertain and worried. “Severus might be right. Maybe we shouldn't go.”

“Stop being a worrywart, both of you,” Lily brushed them off. “It will be fun.”

“Well, I'm not going!” Sev took a few quick steps to take the lead and turned his back to Lily.

“Fine.” Lily sniffed, calling his bluff. “I'll go without you.”

“Bloody fucking hell.” Severus cursed under his breath. Lily had long since become numb to the barrage of colorful words Sev had picked up from his father and his factory friends. In fact, she smiled, because she knew there was no way he would let her go alone and hence they would be going together just like she had planned. “You can't just- ugh! You know what, fine. Just fine.”

“Great!” Lily threw her arms around Severus in a quick impromptu hug, and even though he grumbled about sneaky women and their wiliness, he returned it immediately. Sev was always a great hugger, warm and gentle. She smiled up at him. “Trust me, we'll have fun.”

“I really don't think we will, but, for your sake, I hope we at least don't have a bad time.” 

Lily laughed, spinning out of his arms. That was the best she'll get out of him. She hopped up the driveway of a nice two-storey house painted a soft eggshell brown. The lawn was immaculate and the windows freshly cleaned and opened to the warm spring breeze. 

Lily threw open the rusty red-brown door with a _bang_. “School is over!” she crowed to the empty living room. Sev followed her in and softly closed the door behind them.

Gently removing her backpack, Lily let Missy out. Quick as a flash, she tackled Prince and started a game of rough house. Letting the two cubs play, Lily peeked her head into the kitchen to see it empty. “Mom!” she called out into the house, but no answer came.

“She must have went to the store or something,” Sev provided as an explanation. Which did make sense to Lily, so she shrugged and led the way to her room.

The room was full of contrasts. What originally was a girlish theme of whites, pale yellows, and soft pinks, was now chaotically interrupted by blazes of vibrant color and splashes of black. Lily had hung posters up of popular musicians such as _The Rolling Stones_ , _The Beatles_ , and Elvis Presley, right alongside panels ripped from comic books and colorful hand drawn pictures she's done. An old oil painting of a tree on a hill in an autumn sunrise hung above her window. It's twin, a tree in a valley during a winter storm, hung above her door. Her bed was unmade and stuffed animals, books, and clothes cluttered the floor. Her desk was a disaster of half-done projects and her closet wouldn't shut all the way.

It was home. Lily quickly brushed a book and some colored pencils off her four poster bed and onto the floor, clearing a place for them to sit. Sev took his seat on the bed while Lily rooted around in her top dresser drawer. 

“Ah ha!” she called, pulled down a small paper bag with the Honeywell logo inked in black on the crumpled front. “Best chocolates in town.” She took a truffle out of the bag and popped it in her mouth, groaning exaggeratedly at the taste. “Here.” She pulled out another one – blueberry crème, which she knew Sev liked best – and handed it over.

“Thanks.” Sev reverently nibbled on the treat. 

Lily hummed in understanding and flopped down on the bed, setting the candies between them. “Okay, we gotta plan on how we're going to do this.”

Sev sighed, biting a hole in his candy to lick the crème out. “We're going to have to sneak out,” he starts, knowing that Lily was doing this with or without him, so he might as well try to make her as safe as could. “Your mother will never let you stay out after ten.”

“True,” Lily frowns. “What about you? You staying over?” 

“Yeah, that'll be easiest. I'll call my mom a little later and let her know.” Sev popped the shell of the candy into his mouth and licked his fingers clean. 

“Then what?” Lily asked. Lily usually came up with the hair brained ideas, but Sev was the one who perfected them.

“We'll need a ride. The latest bus from here to the Sugar Hills area will be at nine, though. So we'll have to hurry and sneak out before then,” Sev said, twisting his hands together.

“Hmm that'll be tough,” Lily added. “I doubt mom will believe we went to bed early, not on the last day of school.”

“We could leave the phonograph playing.” Sev suggested, gesturing over to the new one Lily had gotten for her birthday last year. “Your mom doesn't usually bother us when we're dancing, and if we time it right it will run out and she'll think we went to bed.”

“That's genius!” Lily sat up quickly, her hair flying about her. “That'll definitely work!”

“It _might_ work,” he corrected. “You know, for someone who has never snuck out before, you're being real upbeat about this.”

Lily scoffed. “It's not that big of a deal. Everyone does it all the time, even you do it.” Unfortunately, he was right though. Lily might be a bit of a rebel, but she was always respectful to her parents. She'd never snuck out before and the excitement of it was mixing sourly with her fear of being caught and disappointing her parents.

“I leave out the front door and no one cares when I come home. That's different.” Sev's voice was bitter, but resigned, and Lily immediately felt bad bringing up Sev's home life. 

It wasn't something they talked about often; Sev's father being abusive or his mother being so wrapped up in her own pain and problems that she usually ignored him. It was very sad and Lily often prayed for him, but there wasn't much she could do. Only be there for him and take him away to the oasis of her home, her room, so he could forget and just be himself with her.

“Yeah, it is different. I'm sorry.” Lily's voice was soft, but Sev just waved her apology off.

“You still want to go.” It wasn't a question, but Lily nodded anyway. He sighed. “Alright, we'll leave the phonograph on, and we can use my bus card to get onto the bus to get to the library in Sugar Hills. We'll have to walk the rest of the way.”

A huge smile spread across Lily's face as she nodded along. “Yes, yes! That all works. It's a perfect plan!”

“Not exactly. We still have no way home.” 

Lily's smile fell. “Oh... Well how do we fix that?”

A pointed look was shot her way. “How am I supposed to know?”

“ 'Cause you know everything Sev!” Lily gives him a hearty pat on the back and he gives her an unimpressed look. “I'm sure you can think of something.”

Suddenly the irritated expression melted off his face, replaced with something more contemplating. Lily leaned forward eagerly. “Actually, I think we can take the Knight Bus.”

“The 'Knight Bus'?”

“Yes, it's a magical bus that helps wizards and witches get around.”

Interest piqued, Lily leaned into Sev's space eagerly. “Magic?” she repeated, excitement lacing her tone. She loved all things magic.

Gently, Sev pushed her out of his space with a hand on the shoulder. “Yes, a magic bus, we actually could probably take it to the party as well.”

“Let's do it!”

“You just want to ride on a magical bus.” There was a gentle teasing to Sev's words and Lily grinned unabashed.

“Of course I do! Who wouldn't want to ride on a Magic Bus!”

“Who's riding on a Magic Bus?” Prince asked as he trotted through the half closed door, Missy on his heels.

“We are.” Severus reached down and hauled the gangling cub into his lap; started stroking his head and back and threading his tail through his fingers. Sev often would pet Prince when he was thinking. Missy jumped up onto the bed and curled up on the sheets at Lily's hip.

“Does it cost Wizard Money?” Lily asked

He nods slowly, still with a thoughtful look on his face. “It does. But I think I have enough to cover it.”

“ _You_ have Wizard Money?” Shock colored her voice. Sev never had money for things when they hung out. Lily's mom always had to give Lily extra to cover Sev when they went places. It never bothered Lily, except when they couldn't go to places because they were too expensive or when Sev's pride didn't let her pay, but that was hardly Sev's fault. To hear that he actually had money – _Wizard Money!_ – was not something she was expecting.

His cheeks colored and he ducked his head. “Not very much. It was given to me years ago,” he muttered.

That sounded extremely vague to Lily, but she was more worried about Sev's discomfort than the fact that he wasn't telling her everything. So she let it go, for now. “Not much, huh? Are you sure you want to spend it on the Knight Bus?”

Pressing his lips together hard, Sev looked pained, his stringy hair hanging in his eyes, but gradually a resolve poured into his features and he nodded. “Yes.”

Without a moment to spare, Lily threw her arms around Sev in a big hug. “Thank you,” she tells him. “It really means a lot to me.”

Sev's shakily returns the hug, arms wrapping loosely around Lily's back. “I- It's no big deal.”

Pulling back so he could see the blazing force of her smile, Lily shook her head. “It is a big deal, and I thank you.”

“Okay,” Sev said quietly, his dark eyes warm like hot chocolate. 

Moments like these, when they were warm and happy, always made Lily grateful that she had stumbled across Sev that fateful day years ago. Their friendship was the best thing that could ever happen for the both of them.

Prince started to wiggle his way out from between them, breaking the hug. “So, what are we going to do the next few hours? Until we need to get on the Knight Bus?” he asked.

“Eat candy and listen to music?” Lily suggests with a shrug. Sev nodded to her in agreement, snagging another piece of blueberry truffle. 

“But what about what you're going to wear?” Missy pipes up. “You can't wear your school uniforms to a party!”

“Oooh she's right!” Prince leapt off Sev's lap and rushed to the unclosed closet, nosing it further open. Missy was hot on his tail.

Lily just laughed. “Don't pick out anything too ridiculous!” she lightly scolded them.

“No promises!” Missy singsonged as she disappeared into the walk-in closet. 

“It's just a party,” Sev complained. “Do we really need to dress up?”

“Don't be a grump,” Lily said in the same playfully scolding voice she used on Missy. “I'm sure we can find you something nice to wear.”

Squinting his eyes and crossing his arms, Sev glares at her suspiciously. “I hope you know that I'm not wearing a goddamn dress.”

Lily burst out laughing. She hadn't thought of that, but the image of Sev in one of her frilly dresses sure was amusing. She had to temper her laughter quickly, because Sev was starting to look self-conscious. 

“No, no!” she tells him quickly. “I'm sure some of my Uncle Heath's old clothes might fit you. We'll have to just cuff the pants and sleeves, but otherwise, I think he has an old suit around here somewhere.”

“Great idea, Lils!” Prince shouted from the closet and Lily preened under the praise. Despite his wariness and reluctance, even Sev was slowly growing more interested 

“Alright,” he finally sighs, “Let's see what you got.” 

Lily whoops and drags Sev to the closet.


	3. A Taste Of Magic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Years everyone!

“I look ridiculous,” Sev grumbled, pulling at his shirt hem.

“Hush, you do not,” Lily scolded as wielded a hairbrush, trying to tame Sev's long hair into something presentable. After she combed all the snarls out, she parted it and put the top section in a clip for later, then got to work on braiding. She braided nine loose braids and snapped rubber bands on the ends to hold them in place. They fell just past his shoulder blades in chaotic rows.

Sev was not quiet throughout the whole ordeal.

“What are you up to?”

“Are you _braiding_ by hair?”

“Lily just stop already! Nothing will make my hair look good.”

Lily rolled her eyes and kept at work. “Trust me, Sev”

“Yeah, well, look where that has gotten me,” he grumbled. Lily ignored that.

“Hush, do you want to wake up my Mom?” she said instead and Sev begrudgingly fell into silence.

Once the braids were done, Lily took the top part out of the clip and backcombed it with some water and hairspray, styling it to be wild and fluffy looking.

The end result wasn't as good as the picture in the magazine, but it still looked good on Sev. “Here,” she quickly snuck him into the bathroom that was down the same hallway as her bedroom, so he could see her masterpiece.

She was vibrating in excitement. She always knew Sev could be handsome if he tried. Now here he stood in her Uncle Heath's old clothes – a nice, colorful, tie dyed shirt that showed off his long pale arms and collarbone, with white and light blue pinstriped trousers that fit him well secured with a belt. She even found a pair of dress shoes that fit him when she was digging through the attic to find this stuff. – and he looked great!

Sev took a long time staring at his reflection, before turning away angrily. “I don't know why you even bothered,” he hissed in a whisper. “I'm still as ugly as a toad.”

“You're not ugly!” she gasped in surprise, but Sev just turned away from her and the mirror. She quickly caught him by the arms and forced him to face her. “Sev, you're not!” He still wouldn't look at her, eyes cast downwards.

“I'm serious.” The words come out of her mouth firm and reassuring. “You look good. I always knew you'd clean up well.” She tried smiling at him, but he still looked so angry and hurt.

“Look, I wouldn't lie -- you know I would never lie right? -- and I say you look great,” she tells him, and his cheeks color a little, but he still doesn't answer. “Just wear it, for me, okay? I promise you don't look ugly.”

Sev heaved a great big sigh and the fight left him. “I guess I can wear it for a few hours.” He finally conceded. Lily clasped her hands together in glee, but before she could say anything, Sev pointed a finger at her. “But only if you promise to never play dress up with me again.”

Giggling, Lily nodded, agreeing to his demands, though she crossed her fingers behind her back. “Okay, fair.” She knew that she had to get Sev into nicer clothes more often, even if he didn't like it.

“Are we ready, then?” Sev refused to look in the mirror as he left the bathroom, tiptoeing across the hall back to Lily's room. Lily followed him.

“I think so.” She couldn't think of anything else that she needed to bring. “You got the _Wizard Money_?”

“It's called a 'galleon' and yes I have it.” He had snuck over to his house to snatch it while Lily was dressing herself up.

“Don't you guys look cute,” Prince purred as the two children walked into the bedroom. Lily spun in a circle, showing off her dress. It was tie dye with white buttons and accents. She had even managed to curl her fire red hair into big ringlets, which was interesting because her hair never behaved this well. She had half a mind to think it was her magic helping her out.

“Don't make fun,” Sev snapped at his Guide.

“I'm not!” Prince protested. “You guys do look nice.”

“Yeah!” Missy agreed. “You even match a little.”

“All part of the plan,” Lily giggled, throwing an arm over Sev's shoulders. “Come on, lighten up!”

Sev just glared solemnly at the floor. “Come on then, let's do this.”

“Great!” Lily was so very excited about the idea of riding on the Knight Bus. Who wouldn't be? It would be her first taste of actual magic besides the little accidental things that randomly happened to her when she's scared or angry or overly emotional in some way. This was different. She would be on a magic bus for crying out loud! A real piece of the Wizarding World for her to touch and see and experience.

Walking over to the bedroom window, Sev carefully wiggled it open, sliding the glass plane up slowly, careful not to make noise. The pane hit the frame with a soft thud that kickstarted Lily’s heart into an excited, hammering tempo. Here they go.

Sticking his head out, Sev scanned the street, checking for anyone that might blow the whistle on two eleven-year-old children jumping out a window. “All clear,” he whispered over his shoulder, a light breeze from the window carrying his voice and swaying her dress. 

“Prince.” Sev motioned for the panther kitten to come and Prince immediately bounded off the bed and took a running leap into Sev’s arms. Sev grunted as he caught the bundle of chaotic energy and fur, heaving him up to place him on the window sill. 

Turning back to face the room, Sev readied himself for another heavy cat. Missy had already, albeit much more calmly, made her way to Sev. Once he was ready, she raised herself onto her back paws and he scooped her up around the middle, bracing her against his chest and heaving until she too was set up on the window sill.

“Thanks, Severus,” Missy mewed kindly -- Prince just cackled goodnaturedly instead of thanking him -- before the two cubs jumped from the sill into the slim flower box below the window.

“Ready Lily?” Sev turned to her and Lily grinned. It was finally, finally time.

“I was born ready!” Lily exclaimed, perhaps a little too loudly if Sev’s wince was anything to go by. She rushed to the window, ignoring Sev’s helping hand, and heaved herself up, swinging first one leg over, then using that leverage to get to her knees and crouch on the sill. From there she half crawled, half shimmied her way out the other side and fell in a graceless heap on the grass of the front lawn.

Lily was aware that sometimes her excitement causes her to fumble, but did Prince and Missy both have to laugh that hard? Her face flushed a little in embarrassment, only worsening when Sev easily jumped out the window to land next to her without a single misstep. 

“You alright?” he asked, offering her a hand up. 

This time, she took his hand. He helped her to her feet and Lily took a moment to brush the grass off her dress and straighten the collar. 

“I’m fine,” she told him, giving him a sheepish smile. “Just a little over excited.”

Sev’s expression softened into a gentle, sweet look, as if Lily was some rare treasure to covet and cherish. It only lasted a few moments, but it warmed Lily, starting a hearthfire under her breastbone that spread a warm glow down to the tips of her toes. Lily recognized the feeling as a form of love. Not quite like her mother whispering lullabies as she rubs her back, or her father telling her that she’s his ‘baby girl’ as he kisses her cheek, but something similar in a way. 

Missy, still giggling, rubbed up against Lily’s leg. Lily glances down, away from Sev, and pouts at her Guide. “Stop laughing or I’ll turn you into a pair of mittens,” she threatened. Missy just hid her face against Lily’s stockings to muffle the continued giggles. Groaning, Lily gave in and crouched, stroking Missy’s head and back. The small lioness’s laughs died away into a purr.

“Oooh, me too!” Prince bounded up on Lily, almost knocking her over in his eager haste to not be left out of the pets. Lily squeaked as she was nearly bowled over, but happily obliged, scratching under Prince’s chin with her other hand. 

“I’ll hail the Knight Bus,” Sev told her and quickly marched to the streetside. Lily watched with utmost fascination, excitement coiling in her stomach and making her grin.

What was the Knight Bus even like? She only had her guesses, because Prince and Missy didn’t have a clue, and Sev only knew enough to make her wonder more; like the bus was for stranded wizards and you hailed it by raising your wand arm. That was basically all he knew and Lily wanted to know so much more.

With a nervous glance over his shoulder, Sev started fiddling with his clothes. 

What was he waiting for! Impatience urged her to her feet and she abandoned appeasing the Guides to run to Sev’s side. “Come on, Sev! All you have to do is raise your-” Her words choked off in surprise as she got a good look at what Sev had pulled out of his pocket.

“Is that- Is that a _wand_!” Lily gasped.

“ _Shhhhhh_!” Immediately, Sev threw his free hand over Lily’s mouth. “You want to get caught? Then by all means keep on shouting,” he hissed. 

Lily was too excited to be dissuaded, but she did lower her voice some or maybe her voice was just muffled by his hand. “Where in the world did you get a wand?”

Sev glared at her, but Lily’s bright-eyed wonder didn’t desist. Finally, he sighed and stepped back, taking his hand with him. “It’s my mother’s.”

“You took your mother’s wand?!” Lily was shocked. She may not be a fully cultured wix but even she knew you weren’t supposed to take someone else’s wand. How bad of an offense it actually was, she wasn’t sure, but she never expected her friend to steal from his mother. Sev was always so respectful to his mother, even if Lily didn’t think she deserved it most of the time.

“I just borrowed it for the night!” Sev snapped defensively. Lily blinked at him in confusion. “And stop looking at me like that.”

“Like what?” Lily asked, still a little stunned. 

“Like I’m crazy or bad or something.” Sev’s defensiveness was falling apart and in its ruins was self-consciousness and self-hatred. His words started to come faster. “You wanted to go to this stupid party and we need a wand to hail the Knight Bus and I just figured that she never uses it and it’s always upstairs in the attic anyway and-”

“Sev,” Lily interrupts him, “I didn’t mean for you to go steal your mother’s wand. We could have taken a normal bus.”

There was a look on Sev’s face that she couldn’t quite decipher, something broken and eager and heartfelt. “But you wanted to ride on the Knight Bus,” he said in a tiny voice.

Lily nodded, because it was true. She really, really wanted to ride on the Knight Bus, to feel and experience magic on a whole new level. She wanted to be selfish and just take Sev’s kindness on face value, to just drop the issue and run off into the night on a magic bus. She very much wanted to, but she couldn’t bring herself to brush it aside. Sev was her soulmate and Lily would never let anyone take advantage of his kind heart, even herself.

“I do want to ride on the Knight Bus, but I don’t want you getting in trouble,” Lily said slowly, picking her words carefully. “I thought you said-”

“I know! I know, okay?” Sev cried out, his eyes shifting from shadow to shadow as if expecting to be reprimanded at any moment. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, holding it a moment, then letting it out slowly. “I’ve done this before,” he said and glanced over at Lily, meeting her green eyes. “The wand doesn’t work the best for me, but it works enough.”

“Severus…” Lily hesitated. “Are you sure about this?” She wasn’t sure herself, and the fact that he’d taken his mother’s wand before didn’t help much. 

“She won’t even notice it’s gone.” Sev said with as much confidence as he could scrape together. 

Lily was unsure of what to do. Should she keep pressing the issue? Or just let it go? Her eyes fell to the wand. She’s never seen a real one. Only in the pictures of the books from Mrs. Snape’s school days that Sev and her sneak-read in the attic sometimes, but never the real thing. Her fingers itched to touch it. 

“Well, if you’re sure,” she said slowly.

“Don’t worry about it guys,” Prince finally spoke up, his voice cutting through the tension like a hot knife. “Tonight is supposed to be fun, right? We’re riding the Knight Bus, we’re going to a party! So let’s have some fun!”

“You’re right,” Lily smiled in relief, her doubts calming. “Let’s have some fun!”

Sev still looked a little frazzled, but he nodded, his lips firming together in determination. “Okay, let’s do this,” he said to no one in particular. He straightened his arm out and lifted it like some kind of salute. 

He had Lily’s undivided attention. She watched eagerly, waiting for something to happen. Several moments stretched by and Lily spared a quick glance up and down the quiet street. Nothing.

“Fucking peice of shit,” Sev grumbled, flicking the wand about in the air. Still nothing. “Goddamnit!” he growled, waving it about even more aggressively. “Usually it will at least-”

With a loud _boom_ that echoed in her ears, the wand shot off rainbow color sparks with enough force to launch Sev backward, past the sidewalk and halfway into the lawn, tossing him back onto the grass like a ragdoll. 

Lily rushed to his side, dropping to her knees beside him. “Sev!” she gasped, trying to help him sit up, but he batted her hands away. He was making this awful gurgling, wheezing noise. Thankfully, it was a noise she recognized from the time she fell off the monkey bars and knocked the wind out of herself, so she wasn’t _completely_ panicking. 

“Fine,” Sev wheezed, but his breathing was starting to get deeper and more regular. “I’m fine.” 

“What happened?” Lily asked, and this time he allowed her to help him sit up. “Was that supposed to happen?”

“The sparks, yes. The recoil, no,” Sev told her. His breathing was close to normal by this point. “Like I said before, my mother’s wand doesn’t-” He suddenly stopped talking. His eyes went wide and his mouth hung open as he started over Lily’s shoulder.

Lily whirled around.

There it was. A monstrously huge, triple decker, bright purple bus. Lily wasn’t sure what she had been expecting. Part of her didn’t think that Sev was actually going to be able to hail the bus, part of her expected it to be more magical or weird looking, and part of her hadn’t wanted to get her hopes too high by imagining the ride. Yet here she was, standing in front of the Knight Bus.

It was better than anything she had envisioned. She was sure that her expression was one of pure awe and excitement.

The bus door folded back and a young man stepped out. He barely looked older than some of the kids finishing their A-levels at school. Patchy ginger scruff grew in tufts over his cheeks and throat and his short red hair was covered in a purple hat. His whole uniform was purple to match the bus, except for his gloves, which were a bright, eyesore pink. 

What looked like some kind of tiny fuzzy mouse with huge eyes, tiny ears, and a long furry tail was clinging to his purple hat.

“Welcome to the Knight Bus!” he exclaimed, throwing out his hands in a grand, sweeping gesture. “Emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. Just stick out your wand hand, step on board, and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My name is Bert Ridgeback, and I will be your conductor this evening.”

After his spiel, he actually took a moment to look around. He noticed that no one was standing near the bus, but rather Sev and Lily were staring wide-eyed at him from halfway across the lawn. He cocked his head and smiled unsurely. “Uh, you did call us over, right?”

“Yes!” Lily jumped to her feet. “We did!” 

“Oh, that’s good. I thought maybe I had another false alarm again,” Bert laughed, grabbing the side of the bus and leaning out precariously.

“No, no! We hailed the bus!” Lily reassured him. Behind her, Sev got to his feet as well. 

“Well, come on, then!” Bert waved them towards the bus. “Come on! Welcome aboard!”

Lily didn’t even pause to dust the grass off her knees; she snatched up Sev’s hand and dragged him towards the Knight Bus. Prince and Missy loyally at their heels. As they reached the bus, the conductor stepped aside to let them up the few stairs and into the bus.

“Y’all are slower than a buck-toothed sn-” Bert was saying.

The tiny mouse thing on his hat was moving about, reaching down to pull on his ear, cutting him off. “Professional!” it squeaked in a hoarse voice. “Remember you gotta be professional!”

The conductor winced and straightened up, reaching up to rub his red ear. “Ah, right, right.”

_So that must be his Guide_ , Lily thought. It was cool, seeing one that wasn’t Missy or Prince, one that was a completely different animal. Lily wasn’t even sure what animal it was. She’d have to ask Sev later, he’ll probably know. 

Her attention was quickly brought to the bus driver and the sheep that was tied to the gear shift, laying on what looked like a dog bed, fast asleep. Was that a Guide too?

The driver was in his twenties with big round glasses and wild, blond hair. He was absent-mindedly petting the sheep and paying their new customers no mind.

“This is Ernie Prang. Our driver for tonight,” Bert said as he closed the door. “Take a bed wherever you like.”

Bed? Lily looked into the interior of the bus to find it lined with beds instead of seats. It was wonky and Lily loved it immensely. Without missing a beat Lily jumped onto the bed closest to the front of the bus, the one right behind Ernie. She got onto her knees and gripped the metal headboard for balance. 

“Thank you for picking us up,” she said to the two bus workers. Prince leapt on the bed after her and sat on her calves, but Missy hung about Sev, looking unsure about the bus. Though Sev looked awed as well, but his wariness of everything led him to be cautious of this too.

Eventually, Sev came and sat stiffly at the edge of the bed Lily was on, Missy still at his feet.

“It’s our job, little miss,” Bert said happily. “Oh I almost forgot! You haven’t paid yet, huh? That’ll be eleven sickles each. For two more sickles each you can get a hot chocolate.”

“Just the tickets, please,” Sev spoke up. He stuffed his hand into his pocket again and came up with two wide gold coins. He handed them over to Bert, who took them and shoved them into a pouch he had dangling from his waist. He dug in that pouch for a moment before resurfacing with a handful of silver coins which he began to count under his breath. 

“Here you are.” Bert handed back a surprisingly large amount of the silver coins to Sev, who just mutely took them and shoved them into his pocket. 

Lily was dying to ask what the silver coins were. Did he just get change? Like paying with a pound and getting a few shillings back? How did Wizard Money work? How many different kinds of coins were there? She promised herself she’d ask Sev later.

“So where y’all headed?” Bert asked, leaning against the side of the stairs that led into the bus and hooked his thumbs into his pockets. The mouse thing on his head pulled on his ear again, hissing quietly into it about ‘professionalism’. Immediately, Bert straightened up and took his hands out of his pockets.

Lily aborted a giggle and redirected her eyes to Sev. “You remember the address?” she asked. 

He nodded. “435 Farr Run Street in Sugar Hills.” 

“Sugar Hills?” Bert repeated with a confused expression. “Never heard of it.” He turns to the driver. “Hey Ernie, have you ever heard of Sugar Hills?”

Ernie shakes his head.

“Yeah, me neither.” 

“It’s not far from here.” Sev starts fiddling with his own figures. “On the North side of town, by the river.”

“Not far at all.” Bert muttered with a pout. He turned towards the dash of the bus and reached up, going onto his tiptoes, to pop open a small compartment on the roof of the bus near the top of the windshield. A very wrinkled piece of paper fell out and bopped him in the head.

“Oiy! Watch it!” The mouse thing griped as he was hit with a wad of scrunched up paper.

“Sorry,” Bert said without much feeling, already fixated on his task of unfolding and smoothing out the paper. 

“Do you want me to show you where it is?” Sev asked. 

“Naw, I got it.” 

It then occurred to Lily that the paper was amap. She watched curiously as Bert finished unfolding it. It wasn’t that big -- she was expecting it to be bigger for some reason -- a square, maybe thirty-five centimeters wide and long.

He spread the map on the dash. Lily was straining to see it from her position, desperate to know what was going to happen. To her shock, it was a blank piece of paper.

With a tap of Bert’s wand and a muttered word that Lily didn’t recognize, a sprawling map of Britain appeared. Lily stared in awe as it flickered to life on the old paper. Magic. She freaking loved magic.

“Show me Sugar Hills in Cokeworth,” Bert said and it was like a magnifying glass was pressed over the map. It zoomed in quickly, almost dizzyingly so, and focused first briefly on a map of the town of Cokeworth, then zoomed in some more to show the Sugar Hills area.

“Amazing,” Lily breathed. 

Bert gave a surprised look over his shoulder to see Lily watching him intently. He grinned. “Pretty decent searching charm, huh? The bossman did it. Ol’ Parker is way better at charms then me.” Most of that went over Lily’s head, but before she could ask for clarification, Bert turned to Sev. “What was that street address again?”

“435 Farr Run Street.”

Bert searched the map a moment before saying, “show me 435 Farr Run Street.” A bright pin light shined up from the map, marking the spot. “Zoom out to Cokeworth.” The map zoomed out to show the map of Cokeworth. “Alrighty!” He slid the map across the dash to rest by the steering wheel. “Take us to it, Ern!”

“Mhmm.” Ernie mumbled intelligibly, his hand leaving the sheep’s head to grab the gear shift.

_BOOM_!

If it weren’t for Lily’s grip on the headboard she would have been thrown flat down on the bed. Sev toppled backwards into her as the inertia of the bus taking off like a rocket sent them both scrambling for something to grab onto. Sev hung onto her like a lifeline as Lily took a white knuckled hold onto the headboard. She could hear Prince whooping and had no idea where Missy was. Despite all this, she was grinning. 

The force of speed laid off a bit, allowing Sev to shakily sit up, face already turning green. Despite this, he quickly reached down and snagged Missy from under the bed, hauling her into his lap for safety. The poor kitten was fluffed up, her claws embedded into Sev’s clothing as she clung to him. Sev started petting her gently.

Laughter brought her attention back to the front of the bus, where Bert was busting a gut. “I knew you younguns were first timers and all, being so wittle, but it wasn’t that bad now was it?”

“No,” Lily said honestly, even though her heart was still going a mile a minute. It reminded her of the carnival rides she went on last summer. “Just wasn’t expecting it.”

“Well how else we gonna get ‘round?” Bert grinned. 

Lily’s attention was pulled to the window by movement. She took in the scene in front of her like she took in anything magical: with awe, curiosity, and acceptance of the impossible. 

Ernie wasn’t the best driver, but who needed to be a good driver with magic around? He drove all over both sides of the road as well as a good chunk of the sidewalk, but he didn’t hit a single thing. Not out of skill, but because everything _moved out of his way_. The light posts, trash bins, parked cars, they all jumped aside when the bus came and moved back into place behind them. 

“Amazing,” whispered Lily again.

“So what are you off doing tonight in ‘Sugar Hills’?” Bert asked casually as he half folded, half crumpled the map back into a ball. 

“We’re going to-” Lily started, ready to talk with excitement still buzzing in her veins. She broke off with a yelp of surprised pain as sharp teeth nipped the exposed skin of her leg. “Prince!” she scolded the small panther, who looked up at her innocently.

“We’re just visiting some friends is all,” Sev said loudly over her. He didn’t look at her or say anything, but she knew him, and Prince too for that matter. Well enough to know that he was irritated with her and Prince nipping her was probably his idea too.

She shot him a glare that he ignored, but she followed his lead seamlessly. “Yeah, just a small get together.”

She wasn’t sure why they were lying, but Sev had better intuition when it came to grown ups. So if he thought they should lie, they probably are better off lying.

“Oh yeah? What for?” Bert said, his face open as if he were just honestly curious about their night.

“A birthday party,” Sev spoke before Lily had a chance. “A friend of ours is turning fourteen and it's supposed to be a surprise for them.”

“I love surprise parties!” Bert trilled happily. 

It never ceased to amaze Lily how well Sev can read a situation, adapt, and lie his arse off. It truly was a talent. Lily herself was never the best liar. She could do the small white lies, but anything that mattered she fudged up on. Honesty was -- either fortunately or unfortunately -- a core trait of hers.

Which was why it was much safer to let Sev handle talking to the Knight Bus employees. 

Not that she needed to any further, because just then the bus gave another big lurch and _BOOM!_ They came to a stop. 

“ ‘Ere,” Ernie said in a sluggish and muffled voice.

“Here already?” Bert cried, running the few meters to the bus door to open it.

“What? Really?” Prince unhooked his claws from the duvet. “That was quick.”

Lily agreed with him. They had hardly been on the bus for five minutes and she knew that it would normally take twenty minutes to drive there if she were in her mother’s car, maybe fifteen if in her father’s cruiser. 

“ ‘Usn’t that furr of distant,” Ernie slurs. 

Throwing a confused look at Sev, Lily unpeeled her fingers from the headboard and slowly slid off the bed. Sev stood too, Missy still in his arms, the cub’s eyes still closed in terror.

_Magic_ , he mouthed to Lily with a shrug. Lily giggled because, well, he wasn’t wrong.

“Thank you for riding the Knight Bus!” Bert took off his hat, the mouse thing still clinging to it, and swept himself up into a big bow.

Lily curtsied for him. “Thanks for helping us out,” she grinned. 

“ ‘Nytim ittle missy.” Ernie said as Lily followed Sev down the stairs and onto the pristine sidewalks of Sugar Hills. 

“Call us anytime you need us!” Bert called and with a _BOOM_ the bus was gone.

“That was so cool!” Lily threw her hands in the air and twirled, so excited she couldn’t keep still. “I rode on a magic bus. A _magic bus_! Did you see how everything just moved out of the way. Like _whoosh, whoosh, swish_! It was crazy wicked! And the beds instead of seats? How wacky! I even met other wizards! Like ones who weren’t you, and other Guides too! What even was that mouse thing?”

“A lumer.” 

“What?” Lily looked at Sev, his voice bringing her back to the present. In all honesty she had just kind of been gusting about.

“The Guide on his hat, it’s called a lumer. They live in Africa,” Sev told her and Lily blinks before grinning. She had known that he would know what kind of animal that was. 

At that moment, Missy let out a soft whimper, raising her head from Sev’s chest. “That was terrible,” she whined. 

“I thought it was kinda fun,” Prince added in. “Like a rollercoaster!”

Missy groaned and thudded her head back onto Sev’s chest, who sighed softly. The boy knelt down and gently placed the lioness on the ground. 

“We’re going to have to ride it back too,” Sev warned her. Missy warbled in discontent.

Reaching down, Lily rubbed her fingers over Missy’s head and ears, trying to sooth her. “Don’t worry. Maybe we get a ride from someone else at the party?” she suggested, even though she already really wanted to ride the Knight Bus again.

“We won’t,” Sev said gruffly. 

Lily shot him a look. “You don’t have to be so negative.” 

Sev shook his head. “No, I mean, we won’t because there isn’t a party.”

“What?” He had Lily’s full attention. The expression on his face was the one he used when puzzling out the best way to get them out of trouble. Lily has seen it multiple times in the years they have been best friends, and it was always something that precluded a danger of some kind. “What are you talking about?”

“435 Farr Run Street,” he said, pointing to the huge mansion-style house that stood directly in front of them. It was dark and imposing in the streetlights. It took a moment for her to understand why exactly Sev had such an expression about his face. All the windows of the house were dark and not a single person in sight. There was no party. “I told you it was a trick.”


End file.
